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Nzulezo and Venice, why not a tourism twinning?

THOUGHTS OF A NATIVE DAUGHTER

In this festive season, with thoughts turning to recreational venues for the Easter break, it came as a disappointing revelation that one tourist attraction that could draw hundreds of visitors is still as under-developed as it was decades ago. I am referring to Ghana’s mini Venice: Nzulezo.

As last week’s Spectator reminded me, the charm of Nzulezo, a place I fell in love with decades ago, is that it is a village entirely constructed on water. The houses are on stilts and the people move around their community by boat. The picturesque village is located in the Jomoro District of the Western Region; it’s certainly nowhere near Europe, Italy or Venice!

Venice is an Italian city and famous tourist destination because it is built on water. As a source puts it “there are no cars or roadways, just canals and boats.” All year round, the amazing city on water hosts huge numbers of tourists from all over the world. Apart from its sights, transportation by quaint boats known as gondolas, with gondoliers steering, makes it a place that well-travelled tourists don’t want to miss.

It’s a pity that at present, Ghana’s tourism agenda seems to be focused on a once-a-year activity, the Easter Paragliding Festival in Kwahu. Why not place equal emphasis on other attractions, such as Nzulezo, which could earn money all year?   

It must be some four decades since this paper did a splendid centre spread (two-page) feature on Nzulezo, highlighting its appeal. I was then on the staff and I remember the enthusiasm of the then Mirror Editor, Mr George Aidoo, who had gone on the trip himself. Normally taciturn, he was so taken with the village on stilts that he kept talking about it. 

We were all simply captivated by the stilts village and saw its earning potential for the nation, if only the tourism authorities would give it the required support to make it a must-visit destination in Ghana. 

Unfortunately, it appears that developing Nzulezo is still not on the tourism priority list. Strange! Strange because it is said to be only one of two such communities in the whole of West Africa, the other one being Ganvie in Benin. 

The headline of an article in the Spectator of last Saturday (March 19) by photojournalist Geoffrey Buta says it all: “Nzulezo, attractive tourist site, but lacks social amenities’.  

Buta’s report of Nzulezo circumstances can be summed up thus:

1. No safe drinking water; 

2. No health centre;

3. Only four makeshift classrooms for the pupils of the community school, compelling teachers to combine some of the classes;

4. Children whose school is outside the village have to paddle two hours each day to classes;

5. Few books in the school library; 

6. Only two trained teachers, assisted by two  community volunteers; 

7. No accommodation for teachers; and, 

8. No safe river transport for teachers and pupils. 

Another complaint is that while its potential to make money through tourism is not being fully tapped, even the little earned allegedly goes into coffers outside the village. 

Mr J. Erzoah, spokesperson for Nzulezo, told the Spectator that the community receives only 12 per cent of the income generated from tourists which is not used to develop it. Fortunately, they do have electricity, obtained through their former Member of Parliament, Ms Samia Nkrumah. 

However, Mr Erzoah said, apart from the electricity the community has remained the same “as it was for the past 600 years” and has not seen any development.

He added: “We are treated like animals in the zoo where travellers come to see how we live, take pictures and leave.” 

Reflecting on Mr Erzoah’s bitter remark, my conclusion is that if the Government and the tourism authorities could improve support to the community, extra income could be generated and a more acceptable sharing of proceeds agreed. The people would then not be so resentful and feel that their dignity is being degraded, that they’re being treated like animals in a zoo.  

Why is a place with such huge prospects, which already has electricity, not getting assistance to fully exploit its potential? Why have successive governments not helped to develop and market Nzulezo? Is there an explanation that needs to be shared with the community? I guess only the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the Ministry of Tourism can provide answers. 

Little wonder that on the internet, seemingly all that the GTA can say about this awesome village is that “the houses are built on stilts, and traditional village life adapts to the watery conditions ….”

So what is the problem? If it’s funding, as seems likely, what about inviting private business to partner the GTA to make Nzulezo a tourism showpiece?  Or, what about other arrangements, such as twinning, specifically with Venice?

Venice is a city and Nzulezo is a village, but to me they obviously have something in common so I can envisage a twinning possibility!  

Can the GTA not explore, through the Italian Embassy, the possibility of Venice twinning with Nzulezo? It’s not as outlandish as it sounds! In January, Italian Prime Minister Mr Matteo Renzi paid a two-day state visit to Ghana to enhance Italy-Ghana relations; it followed President John Mahama’s visit to Italy last year. 

And just last week there was the launch of the Italian Business Association of Ghana (IBAG) in Accra. Both the IBAG vice-president, Nii Amaa Ollennu and Mrs Laura Carpini, Italy’s Ambassador to Ghana, spoke about the importance of strengthening business and other opportunities between the two countries. 

I believe that the Venetian city government would be happy to consider being twinned with an African community that, like Venice, lives on water. It could give our ‘mini Venice’ a much-needed helping hand, as part of the growing links between the two countries. 

Anyway, there can’t be any harm in the GTA exploring the possibilities!

The Writer is a columnist in the Mirror newspaper (Thoughts of a Native Daughter). This article was also published in the March 24, 2016 edition of the Mirror

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